Adulthood
by lilianthorn
Summary: Hermione and Ron have gone to the Chamber of Secrets to destroy a horcrux, their jubilation is interrupted by Blaise Zabini who has a dangerous secret. Setting: DH


Title: Adulthood

pairing: Hermione/Blaise

rating: 15+

warnings: mild violence, language

summary: Hermione and Ron have gone to the Chamber of Secrets to destroy a horcrux, their jubilation is interrupted by Blaise Zabini who has a dangerous secret. Setting: DH (Spoilers)

one-shot for DarkRose's challenge at HPFF forums

They had done it! The horcrux was destroyed and Ron and Hermione were caught up in their excitement. Hermione was beaming at Ron appreciating just how fantastic his idea really had been of coming into the Chamber of Secrets and getting the fangs from the Basilisk. Her eyes were full of happiness, excitement and even a budding sense of deeper feelings. Then suddenly Ron was blasted off his feet and fell unconscious to the ground away from her.

It was surreal, like slow motion. She hadn't had her wand ready as her hands were full of a basilisk fang and the remains of the cup. She looked around frantically for where the curse had come from.

Finally, slowly, a tall dark figure emerged from behind one of the serpent statues, gliding slowly, smoothly and inexorably towards her where she stood. Her mind flew into overdrive, searching mentally for which pocket had her wand, how she might outsmart the tall Slytherin and what she might do to ensure survival.

"So sorry to interrupt this little party, but I've a task of my own," Blaise Zabini had his wand aimed directly at her chest. He seemed strangely calm.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "You're too late, Zabini, we've already destroyed Voldemort's horcrux."

Blaise laughed and said darkly, "I care nothing for that flimsy upstart's war or his trinkets, my task is far more ancient and pressing. You see, today I come of age and among my people, that requires a sacrifice." He seemed to notice that she was agape at this turn of events. He pitied silly girls like her who thought the Wizarding world was the end all and the be all of the magical world. He shook his head, "You're a bit dimmer than I'd heard, Granger. My father was a vampire. And tonight, by taking your life I shall complete my coming into my own powers and become like him. I shall require your blood. You see, I chose you because I get to kill two birds with one proverbial stone; I simply cannot let a mudblood like you reach adulthood and once your blood is taken, I will be in my power as a full Zabini, a race of vampires who cleanse the scourge of filth from the magical world. Filth like you and your blood-traitor boyfriend there."

Hermione took a step back in shock. Vampire? But he'd played Quidditch in full daylight. How could it be, she thought frantically. Wait, she thought, only half-vampire, that explains it. She had spent some time at Slughorn's Christmas party the previous year talking to the vampire there and he had mentioned half-vampires and their Ritual of Attainment. It had seemed so simple then, avoiding McLaggen, learning some new bit of academic information, chatting up something rare and unusual. But this situation was far from academic. Numbly she recalled Harry's words about being faced with death and it all being guts and luck and help. She thought help looked unlikely and felt her guts squeezing in terror, they were not inclined to lend any aid in this situation.

She gripped the fang in her hand. He noticed this and decided it was too risky to leave her free to move. A soft blue light shown in his eyes and she was paralyzed.

"As much as I would love to continue this little chat, I'm afraid once I take your blood, I'll need to be under cover before dawn, so let's get this over with shall we?" He walked to her and she stood perfectly still, unable to move. In her mind she was screaming, but no sound could come out. He pulled a silver dagger encrusted with rubies from his robe and drew it gently across her neck on the right side, then leaned in and began to drink.

Hermione barely felt it, the blade was bewitched to numb its victim. She wondered why the unexpected kindness, then recalled that some humans volunteered for this. Some even were known to be kept as kinds of pets for vampires. She wondered if Blaise's mother had been that way. If her many husbands had been in actually, fed to a different man altogether. She thought sadly that she'd be unlikely ever to know. She'd be unlikely every to learn a new thing as it looked like her luck had run out.

Then she felt her body toppling. Blaise was so focused on his first taste of blood that he hadn't noticed until they fell together into the water. The paralyzing effect was released and she swam away. A strong arm grabbed her and pulled her to safety.

"Ron!" she gasped. He smiled weakly. She turned and saw what looked to be the water boiling where she'd just been. "I'd have done something sooner, but the only thing I could think of that wouldn't get his attention was to just push you in once he started drinking. Luckily Fred had a brief obsession with vampires in his fourth year and I remembered that they can't go in moving water once the Attainment begins. Peculiar hazard of being a half-vampire I suppose."

She hugged him and gasped, "Yeah. Lucky!"


End file.
